Island



PATENTED 00T. 17, 1848.

J. P. TAYLQR. FLOATING BATTERY.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JOHN P. TAYLOR, OF LITTLE COMPTON, RHODE ISLAND.

FLOATING BATTERY.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,854, dated October 1-7, 1848'.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN I). TAYLOR, of Little Compton, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mode of Destroying Vessels, called Taylors Floating Explosive Battery, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

Figure l, is a side elevation of the floating explosive battery. Fig. 2, is a top view of ditto. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4l, is a cro-ss section of ditto.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention consists in constructing a steam vessel with a semielliptical formed casing or covering. made of sufficient strength and suitable material, and kept in the proper relative position to the ship to be destroyed. as to cause the balls or bombs from the same to strike the surface of said covering, at an obtuse angle, and ricochet, without penetrating the same, and securing to the bow of the vessel thus covered, and on the same line with its keel a smaller vessel, having a barbed iron prong projecting from its forward end, and containing a magazine of explosive powder, communicating with the larger vessel by a slow match. so that said smaller vessel can be forced against the vessel to be destroyed, and secured to the same by the iron prong, and after igniting the slow match leading to the magazine. the larger vessel can be detached and withdrawn from the smaller one. on t-he same line as it approached, presenting in its approach and withdrawal an obtuse angle to the line o-f projection of the balls or bombs from the vessel to be destroyed, causing them to ricochet from its surface without penetrating the samewhile the vessel containing the explosive material is left secured to the enemys vessel. and caused to explode with 4sufficient violence to destroy the same.

The hull A, of the steam vessel is made inthe usual form and manner, except that its upper deck is arranged on the same horizontal line (or a slight distance above) as the surface of the water, and is provided with suitable guards on either side from fore to aft, similar to those of steam-boats used in river navigation, and with the usual on top from'side to side in the form of a semi-ellipsis. or semi-circleg and consists of a series of transverse frames E, or bulkheads, erected at-hwartships on the upper deck at equal distances apart, made semielliptical or semi-circular on their tops and sides, to correspond with the form of the casing; to which is secured, by bolts, longitudinal timbers or planks, extending from one bulkhead to the other, calked and payed with pitch to prevent leakage,'which timbers or planks are covered with wrought iron plates, bolted together and to the outer surface of the planks, so as to form a complete and efiicient covering to the hull of the vessel, impenetrable to balls and other missiles, when projected at an obtuse angle, causing them to glance from its surface at the same angle on which they struck.

Immediately in front of the bomb and ball proof vessel above described, is secured a small vessel F of the form represented in Figs. l and 2, being formed at its forward end similar to the bow of a vessel, and curved on its lower part and bilge to correspond with the lines of the steam vessel, having an angular recess G, in its after end for the reception of the bow of the steam vessel, which is inserted and secured in said recess, by means of a cable leading from one vessel to the other, or by any convenient means.

The upper part of the smaller vessel projecting above the surface of the water, is curved after the manner represented in Fig. l, to ricochet the balls from its surface, and projects above the bow of the steam vessel a sufficient distance to protect the hands on board the same, from the balls, when detaching the two vessels, or igniting the slow match. This smaller vessel has a barbed iron prong IFI secured to its bow, projecting in a straight line beyond the same, in such a manner as to cause it to enter the side of l and contains the powder or other explosive material, which is placed in a magazine I, at the forward part thereof, so t-hat when said smaller 'vessel F, is secured to the enemys ship by the barbed prong H as before stated, and theexplosive material ignited by the slow match J extending from the magazine to the bow of the propelling vessel, the powder or other explosive material will explode with such great? violence as to shiver the smaller vessel to atoms, and in such close proximity to the enemys ship as to likewise shiver it to atoms.

Instead of using but one slow match to communicate lire to the magazine, any desired number of matches may be applied, so that in case of the fire of one going out, the others may be certain to perform their duty.

When it is desired to destroy an enemys ship, the head of the steam vessel with the smaller vessel F, containing the explosive material secured thereto, is brought to bear on herkmost vulnerable part, and is propelled toward the same, on a straight line, so as to cause the balls and other projectiles thrown from the enemys ship, during the approach of the steam vessel A, and the vessel containing the explosive material, to strike their curved surfaces at an obtuse angle, and to ricochet from their surfaces without penetrating the same. After the barbed prong H is driven into the ship, with suiiicient force to secure the vessel containing the explosive material firmly to the same, the slow match extending from the magazine to the bow of the steam vessel is ignited by those on board and the cable or other convenience for securing the two vessels together detached, and the steam vessel withdrawn sternwise, on the same straight line as it approached, a suiiicient distance to be out of the reach of the explosion. The lire from the slow match What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The employment of a pointed floating explo-sive battery of the peculiarshape above described, having an angular recess at the stern, corresponding with the shape of the bow of the propeller received therein, and charged with explosive materials, in combination with a shot and bomb proof steam propeller, having a semi-elliptical covering for glancing the balls of the enemy, to which it is attached, for driving it into the vessel to be destroyed, and after igniting the slow matches, leaving the explosive battery to perform its oiice of destroying whatever object it is driven into, as above described.

JOHN P. TAYLOR.. lVitnesses:

EDMUND MAHER, SAML. M. WARNER. 

